Fifty Cent Video.

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I quite like the Fifty Cent song - good tune and rhythm - listenable. But I can't get used to the video and its subtext. I presume it's not serious, but it leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. OK, these aren't real pimps, and the girls are probably actresses and models. The message seems to be, "Don't mess with me because I'm a pimp". Without much leavening of humour. Am I missing something?

― All Bunged Up. (Jake Proudlock), Thursday, 19 February 2004 09:49 (twenty-two years ago)

nope

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 11:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, yeah. That's pretty much the whole damn point. Fiddy IS a humourless pedantic sod! FLAME ON, FLAMAZ!

― Francis Watlington (Francis Watlington), Thursday, 19 February 2004 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

i am glad someone is finally treating an organization like the p.i.m.p. legion of doom with the seriousness it deserves

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 19 February 2004 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

if only Fiddly WOULD wear LOD style gear, bit 'California Love' perhaps tho, but is that a bad thing?

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

50 cent beyond thunderdome

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:06 (twenty-two years ago)

'we don't need anu'er heero'

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)

surely kanye west would be producing

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

The message seems to be, "Don't mess with me because I'm a pimp". Without much leavening of humour. Am I missing something?

50 Cent has a sense of humor?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Alex, didn't you see the video for "Wanksta"? I mean COME ON MAN!

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, but that's derisive humor. Laughing at someone as opposed to laughing at a more abstract concept. Hey....is that 50 Cent's own little boy in the "Wanksta" video?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, Alex, I believe that wee li'l lad might be 50's own Two Bit.

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)

alex yr getting on 50s dick for derisive humor??

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not going anywhere near 50 Cent's bullet-ridden dick, thank you very much. And stop over-intellectualizing posts that were obviously composed in passing flippancy. I have nothing for nor against 50 Cent (though I'm not sure why he's so deified. Surely there are better rappers around today than he.)

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:29 (twenty-two years ago)

then why bother posting?!

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Sometimes I feel like talking to AINYC about hip-hop is like talking to my grandparents about e-mail.

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:30 (twenty-two years ago)

then why bother posting?!

To upset the froth-mouthed zealots like yourself.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:30 (twenty-two years ago)

haha yeah okay there big guy

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Jess, you got a little puss on your G-Unit dickey there.

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

More to the point, I don't understand the real dilemma with this thread. The video is simply a literal depiction of the notion that 50 Cent is a Pimp and a Playa. It's not an Antonioni flick, for chrissakes. There aren't layers of veiled subtext.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Sometimes I feel like talking to AINYC about hip-hop is like talking to my grandparents about e-mail.

Once again, because my opinion doesn't tow the conventional party-line of hip hop, it's easier to write it off as "insane" or "misinformed", eh?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Alex, speaking as a vaguely conventional hip-hop fan, I wouldn't call your criticisms "insane" or "misinformed", but I do think they're "reductive" and "myopic" and "clausterphobic", because A) you toe YOUR party line all the live long day on such threads, and B) you show an unfailing dedication to that line to the point of laughable redundancy, which C) leaves me to think that you are unwilling to find anything in these songs that you might enjoy (which is, of course, your choice) because you're set in your impregnable "PROVE IT TO ME" buffalo stance and D) are simply using this (& other) threads as a platform to spread your particularly biased & rigid gospel far and wee AT THE EXPENSE of folks that are more receptive to this sort of music which leads to E) lots of counterproductive headbutting.

Analogy time! It's one thing for a hardline Democrat to crash a Republican convention and start a healthy debate about abortion and actually BE receptive (or at least feign interest) to contrary opinions. It's totally another thing to barge in like Soy Bomb, screaming "PRO-CHOICE! PRO-CHOICE! PRO-CHOICE!" for 20 minutes straight, and expect folks to take that in stride. Perhaps I'm mistaking your contientious dissent with fervent hollering, but that's a fine line to straddle, and more often than not, most folks are going to err on the side that favors their own needs.

Please note that I could substitute "AINYC" & "hip-hop" with "countless other ILM posters" & "that poster's bugbear", and this would still hold true.

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Seems I touched a nerve.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:02 (twenty-two years ago)

It's more that you broke my camel's back than you sank my Battleship, but, yeah, sure.

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Granted, I am needlessly provocative on certain hip hop threads from time to time (being that I find the usage of sweeping superlative statements that often crop up on said threads rather somewhat ridiculous), but that doesn't entirely pull the rug of credibility out from underneath my argument. I actually do like a fair amount of hip hop, but I just don't find it to be as life-affirming a musical force as many others do. But in this particular instance, my opinion that there are more talented/interesting/skilled/inventive rappers out there than 50 Cent is an entirely valid assertion. However, because it's coming from me, you choose to write it off. This is not to say that 50 Cent's entire oeuvre is complete crap, but rather as good as it may be, there are better examples that don't entertain as much praise.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:08 (twenty-two years ago)

i agree, 50 seems really over-rated, it's not his vocals on 'In Da Club' that makes it the force it is imo - as a rapper i find him pretty vapid and un-interesting

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I concede that David is spot-on with my penchant for not always entirely informed bluster, but in 50 Cent's case, I just don't see what the big deal is. Seems to me that he has precious little to say beyond telling me what a badass he is and how hard a life he's lived. Now, while I don't argue these points (I'm sure he is a badass, and I dont doubt that he's had a tough life), I sure wish he had something else to bring to the table.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Have hip-hop videos died a death creatively? Eminem's are great, Missy's are great...I love the ones done by hip motion graphics designers too (like that DJ Format one), everybody else's seem utterly lame by comparison - what am I overlooking?

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Missy Elliott is the Peter Gabriel of music videos of the New Millenium. There is simply no argument.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:34 (twenty-two years ago)

My question is - and yes, there is a subtext question, which is whether the video is serious or not. I assume it is not. Because if it is, it is morally repugnant.

― All Bunged Up. (Jake Proudlock), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:36 (twenty-two years ago)

(I realise that's somewhat moot because the majority of hip-hop videos are made to satisfy a certain demograph's desire to see their boys living large and excessive on screen...Missy has shown this can be done with more flair, wit and imagination - i'm not sure where else hip-hop videos can go but i thought the ones for the last Nas album were quite good in their simplicity and realness - N*E*R*D really killed the misogyny thing off with 'Lapdance' i think, the video for 'Get Low' is pretty lazy and embarassing (foxy-boxing for crying out loud)

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd imagine that depends on whether you take 50 Cent's schtick at face value. If so, then I'd guess that it's entirely serious.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Try again.

My question is whether the video is serious or not. I assume it is not, though it isn't funny. But if it is serious, it is morally repugnant, surely.

― All Bunged Up. (Jake Proudlock), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think they really consider such things. Often their aim is to offend anyway, to provoke certainly. This appeared to be the case with 'Lapdance' which is actually totally out of sync with N*E*R*D and specifically Pharrell's appearances and demeanours elswhere - he doesn't pose as a pimp or thug these days, you have to assume the remit of that video was just to piss some people have, make their presence felt and play with some boobies (the idea they allegedly had about making the girls wear cut-out politician face-masks reeks of bullshit i reckon). 50 and most rappers will never do what they did there which I think is interesting. I think I was actually more 'disturbed' by Luda's recent vid for 'Stand Up' which presents a really blatant 'golden shower' ref right there in your face and it got shown on breakast television over here ha ha

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:43 (twenty-two years ago)

''But in this particular instance, my opinion that there are more talented/interesting/skilled/inventive rappers out there than 50 Cent is an entirely valid assertion.''

You didn't make an argument. You just said that he doesn't have a sense of humour.

50 Cent is a brilliant rapper and am happy he is around. I love the way he slurs the words, and it doesn't matter that he doesn't have much, or anything, to say.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:51 (twenty-two years ago)

on it's own that makes him no better than Ma$e tho

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I am not comparing him to other rappers. But i really like his delivery.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:55 (twenty-two years ago)

50 Cent is a brilliant rapper and am happy he is around. I love the way he slurs the words, and it doesn't matter that he doesn't have much, or anything, to say

Well, it doesn't matter to you, Julio, but maybe it matter to other folks.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:56 (twenty-two years ago)

My question is whether the video is serious or not. I assume it is not, though it isn't funny. But if it is serious, it is morally repugnant, surely.

I think Snoop says his 'pimp arm is way strong' and makes an 'I'm about to hit you' gesture. Niiiiiiice. 'PIMP' is a very bad record, musically and lyrically. 'In Da Club' is a very good record. I try not to pay attention to the lyrics since yes they are bad.

― ENRQ (Enrique), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I try not to pay attention to the lyrics since yes they are bad.

heh, i apply this golden rule to about 90% of my listening...

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

alex- I'd like to know what you want rappers (or singers) to say?

x-post: what's so 'musically' bad abt PIMP?!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 19 February 2004 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

alex- I'd like to know what you want rappers (or singers) to say?

It's not that I have a specific message in mind, it's just that merely beating certain themes (i.e. being a Pimp/playa/hardass etc.) into the ground gets DULL. Wouldn't a little variety be preferrable?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 16:03 (twenty-two years ago)

what's so 'musically' bad abt PIMP?!

it's boring, repetitive (in a bad way)... sure, there are good repetitive songs, but this isn't one IMO. Who knows. I've heard it dozens of times and really don't want ever to hear it again.

― ENRQ (Enrique), Thursday, 19 February 2004 16:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I find the hook to "Wanksta" repetitive in an irritating, car alarm sorta way, personally.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 16:06 (twenty-two years ago)

alex- It doesn't trouble me bcz I don't listen to much hip-hop (but do you?).

x-post: er...its a taped loop (like you know, lots of hip-hop) with 50 cent talking over it, and just like in da club its VERY good, loved the calypso type percussion. I've heard it about 10-15 times.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 19 February 2004 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)

alex- It doesn't trouble me bcz I don't listen to much hip-hop (but do you?).

Well, I don't really approach it that way. I don't assume a different way of listening to each different style of music. I only have one pair of ears, y'know?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 16:12 (twenty-two years ago)

er...its a taped loop (like you know, lots of hip-hop)

Yeah, but it's all about the *right* loop. Possibly the video made me hate it all the more, but it seems a bit slack. I can't imagine dancing to it.

― ENRQ (Enrique), Thursday, 19 February 2004 16:14 (twenty-two years ago)

50 is quite versatile tho - '21 Questions' is a powerful and moving love song (smirk)

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 16:16 (twenty-two years ago)

the 'P.I.M.P.' video is from what I saw of it actually more derived than any other rap video I've seen recently from the Death Row era specifically Snoop and Tupac on 'America's Most Wanted' and that was pretty dull - the two tracks really say pretty much the same thing (and it's ten years later) thus so do the videos

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 16:19 (twenty-two years ago)

i am glad someone is finally treating an organization like the p.i.m.p. legion of doom with the seriousness it deserves
-- strongo hulkington (dubplatestyl...), February 19th, 2004.

I'm PRETTY sure Fiddy thinks it's quite a serious matter.

then why bother posting?!
-- strongo hulkington (dubplatestyl...), February 19th, 2004.

We can't help ourselves, Jess! You should know best it's like the black hole! *LOLLERZ IRONY*

― Francis Watlington (Francis Watlington), Friday, 20 February 2004 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

"smirk"

― jeremy jordan (cruisy), Friday, 20 February 2004 14:26 (twenty-two years ago)

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